


A Moblin's Rock Bottom

by BCWill



Series: Rage Against The Calamity - Origins [3]
Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Found Family, Gen, Mild Blood, Mind Manipulation
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-12 22:54:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,959
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29766846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BCWill/pseuds/BCWill
Summary: Now freed from the corruption of the Malice, a camp of monsters try to make a life for themselves in the Hylian wilderness. Despised by the races of Hyrule for who they are, and wanted by Calamity Ganon for their defiance, all they have left to turn to is each other. One monster in particular learns that even in your darkest hour, you never know who might outstretch a hand.This is the story of Sledge the Moblin.
Series: Rage Against The Calamity - Origins [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2119731
Comments: 1
Kudos: 12





	A Moblin's Rock Bottom

**Author's Note:**

> Just a heads up: while this is part 3 of my 4-part series, only part 1 is directly plot-relevant to this part and adds a lot of needed context to this story.

Sledge did not remember when it was born, if such an event even occurred, but it did remember the day it started living. After an unfortunate altercation with a Wizzrobe, the Blue Moblin woke up in the Gerudo Highlands dazed and confused - surrounded by shattered ice chunks. That was when it found itself face-to-face with one of the Bokoblins it had originally been stationed with. Except it looked a lot different this time. It had a large toothy grin, one that felt warm and inviting, and there was no presence of Malice in its eyes. Furthermore, it was holding a Flamebreaker with a Knight’s Shield strapped to its back with no explanation for how it got them. The campfire softly burning at its feet gave the Moblin all the hints it needed: it had been saved by this peculiar Bokoblin. The Moblin’s ice bath had slowed the Malice that normally pulsed through its brain, so it had a much clearer mind - yet confusion and conflicting thoughts still swirled around.

“What happened, Bokoblin?” it remembered asking in its deep and gruff voice. Before responding, the odd Bokoblin took the Knight’s Shield off its back and handed it to the Moblin. 

“Look into this, and you will see.” it said back.

Hesitantly, the Moblin stared into the shield and saw the mirror image of itself. Normally whenever it had looked at a reflective surface, the image was too fuzzy to make out any details. Sometimes it even seemed like a part of its brain would refuse to acknowledge what it was seeing. But this time the Moblin was able to see a 1-1 duplicate of itself. It made a sharp inhale in surprise upon discovering what it looked like for the first time. Everything it saw was an exact match: from the irregularities in the war paint, to how its arm bandages were wrapped, and even to the small mole that stuck out just below its left nostril.

“That’s you,” the Bokoblin said while the Moblin was still transfixed, “We do not have to be just Bokoblin, or Moblin. We can be more than that. We can have our own wants and needs. We can have our own destinies.”

The Moblin eagerly took everything in while it still had clarity and the Malice struggled against the Bokoblin’s words. It could feel the corruption of old creeping back in, but the resistance just made the Moblin’s mind want to fight back even more while it still had the chance.

“My name is Kobb,” said the Bokoblin, knowing what the Moblin was going through and doing its best to help, “you can have your own name, too. You can choose to defy Ganon and The Calamity. You can be free.”

Horrible memories flashed through the Moblin’s eyes. It remembered the long endless nights stuck in The Malice - where time lost all meaning. It remembered the oppressive demands, the terrifying threats, and the grotesque visions that were forced into its mind as a consequence for failure. It could be free? From all of that? The Malice forced its muscles to tighten, refusing to relinquish control over the host’s body. The Moblin was forced down onto its knees and it clenched its jaw tightly. Sharp, stinging cramps shot up and down its arms and legs like needles. Clawing at its skin, the Moblin struggled against the awakening Malice - which now felt like bristly worms were wiggling all throughout its body. While the pain was nearly unbearable, the Moblin refused to submit - not after it had gotten a taste of what it was like to think for itself. The pain was simply a means to an end, and it would reach that end one way or another.

_ I defy you, Lord Ganon,  _ it screamed into its mind. With all its might, the Moblin spread its arms out wide, threw its head back, and let out the loudest bellow its lungs could muster. In an instant, the Malice was violently expelled from its body. To the Moblin it felt like a large rope was being yanked out of the top of its skull. It hurt, but it hurt so good. The black and red vapors scattered through the air and quickly dissolved, leaving the Moblin on its back with a sore body and a clear mind.

Kobb jumped back to get away from the Malice, then crept closer towards the Moblin when it seemed like the ordeal was over. Cautiously it leaned over, ecstatic that the Moblin’s eyes were now colored a soft brown - no longer blood red. 

“How do you feel?” it asked.

The Moblin grasped at the snow as it laid on the ground, feeling the icy sting on its fingers. It then exhaled and saw the fog from its breath fill the air. Softly, its hand was placed to its chest and the heavy  _ ba-dump ba-dump  _ of the heart called back. Its body was warm. Until now it had no idea that’s how it was supposed to be. With an enthusiastic jump, the Moblin got to its feet. Immediately it began to see stars from getting up too quickly for a being of its size, but it was a euphoric high. With a big stretch, the Moblin could feel each individual joint crack - sending chills down its spine.

“We have never felt better.” it said, a weary-but-satisfied grin beaming across its whole face.

Kobb’s light blue eyes lit up. It had managed to free the Moblin from the Malice in the same vein that Link had done for itself. That meant freeing the rest of the still-frozen Bokoblins around their campsite wasn’t far off, either. 

“So have you thought of a name for yourself? What should I call you?” said Kobb. It liked the name Link had given it, but it felt that letting the Moblin choose its own name would be the right call.

The Moblin began scratching its head. That’s right, it did not have to be bound by just identifying as Moblin. It could have its own identity. But what did it want to be called? It racked its brain for possibilities. Anything of the Malician language was ruled out - as it felt too close to being tied towards Ganon. Maybe there would be a day where it’d confront its roots, but not today. So Hylian it was, since that’s the only other language the Moblin vaguely knew. But what? Its mind wandered to the various weapons organized near its campsite. It had managed to fashion several weapons of its own, but they all paled in comparison to the giant jet black hammer it had managed to find buried in the snow one day. That hammer had been around for who knows how long, and yet it swung like it had been made that day. Apparently the Hylians called it a “sledgehammer”. It was by far the Moblin’s favorite weapon and before its awakening it was the only thing it could count on. Its eyes lit up as it got a spark of inspiration.

“Sledge.” it said softly, “We...I...wish to be called Sledge.”

Kobb clapped its hands together excitedly. “That is a great name!” it said.

A smile spread across Sledge’s wide face and it rubbed the back of its head bashfully. The moment did not last for long, as it remembered the dispute with the Ice Wizzrobe that caused it to get frozen in the first place. 

“The other Bokoblins...what happened to them?” it asked worriedly.

Kobb ran the Flameblade down its hand. “They are all still frozen in the ice...and still under Ganon. But we can get them out, and then free them.” it said.

“I will help!” Sledge said, feeling a spur of confidence from the potential of liberating its monster brethren from The Calamity’s control. The small campfire at its feet was still burning slightly, so it pulled out the torch that was fastened around its waist and got to work.

...

The melting process was long, grueling, and lasted over the course of a few days. As the first night slowly approached, it was apparent to Kobb and Sledge that they were ill-equipped for the Gerudo Highlands. Now that the Malice was no longer giving them protection, the cold winds beat down on their nearly naked bodies. Sure, the monsters had incredibly thick hides, but it would take more than arm wraps and loincloths to survive the bitter nights. As Kobb worked on thawing out the first Bokoblin, Sledge grabbed a Dragonbone Spear and headed out into the Risoka Snowfield to hunt. Hardly any time passed before it returned carrying two Cold-Footed Wolves over its back. Like clockwork, Sledge began the process of skinning and tanning the hides of the wolves. Kobb was thoroughly impressed and asked how Sledge learned this craft, to which it replied “I...I don’t know. I guess I have always known how to do it…”

As the first of five Bokoblin was released from the ice, Kobb was able to help free it from the Malice as well. This one decided on the name “Frost”. Despite Kobb’s insistence, Sledge let both of the Bokoblins have the wolf pelts rather than clothing itself. It had a much bigger body so it didn’t mind the cold as much, anyways. The three spent the night next to a cozy fire huddled up together - the rock overhang protecting them from the harsher snowy winds. Before nodding off to sleep, Sledge couldn’t help but smile - feeling a sense of belonging for the first time in its life.

With a new day came new challenges. They were running out of wood needed for the nightly fires, the hide tanning, and thawing out the rest of the Bokoblins. Kobb and Frost went to gather more kindling while Sledge took off hunting on its own again. The two Bokoblins returned in a timely manner with Sledge nowhere to be seen. After nearly two hours, they feared for the worst and considered heading out to search for the Moblin when it suddenly appeared over the horizon - dragging an entire Gizzlemaw Bear by the feet. The wrappings on its left arm were stained teal with its blood and it was walking with a slight limp. Kobb and Frost immediately rushed to help the Moblin and make sure its injuries weren’t serious.

“It is hard to remember that I can bleed now,” Sledge said as it winced upon sitting down, “but I would gladly take this ten times over being stuck in the Malice.”

As Kobb tended to Sledge’s wounds, Frost began thawing out another Bokoblin - ready to alert Kobb whenever they broke out. Thankfully Sledge bounced back surprisingly quickly for someone that had just fought a bear. Immediately it began the tanning process for the Grizzlemaw - planning on using the enormous hide for itself. After yet another Bokoblin was defrosted, Kobb was really starting to get the hang of things. Of course, this time it had Frost there to help out too.This Bokoblin could not decide on a name, so it relied on its comrades to provide it one. They all ultimately settled on “Fang”. That night, Fang did not have a wolf’s pelt like the other two Bokoblins, so the rest gave it the spot closest to fire. Sledge’s pelt was still a work-in-progress due to how huge the bear was, but that was a tomorrow problem.

The next day was even more productive than the last. Now that there were only three frozen Bokoblins remaining, the group decided to divide and conquer. Sledge had finished tanning and cutting the bear hide early in the morning, so it went out hunting again while sporting its new cozy clothes. Sledge had even managed to use the head of the bear as a makeshift hood - although its massive horn got in the way. When it returned with more Cold-Footed Wolves, the Bokoblins were almost done unfreezing the rest of their kin - thanks to their group efforts. The names they chose were Blade, Amber, and Boom. As the sun set, Sledge taught the group of Bokoblins how to skin and tan a wolf’s hide - and they were able to get a set for everybody ready to be worn the next morning. Since the night was still bitterly cold, Sledge lent his bear pelt to be used as a makeshift blanket for the uncovered Bokoblins.

Long after the sun set, they all sat around the fire and shared stories. Most were about their own ventures across Hyrule through the many lives they lived while under Ganon. Nearly every tale came with a twinge of misery. They could remember the places they went and some specific events, but everything else was a giant blur - like a fog that refused to clear up. The bitter reality that they have lived decades, perhaps centuries, with almost no memories to treasure brought many of them to tears. Although the pain stung much less when they could share the burden with each other. The gentle comfort they felt when wrapping arms around each other's shoulders, or laughing in unison, was worth more than a hundred thousand lifetimes under Calamity Ganon’s thumb. 

“How did we all get here?” Blade said at one point. “We have all managed to turn away The Calamity, but where did it start?” That was when some eyes turned towards Kobb.

A soft chuckle escaped from Kobb. “I was waiting until we had gotten everyone out to explain that.” it said as it prepared to bring the Bokoblins and Sledge up to speed. Kobb stood up and walked to where it was standing behind the fire as if it was performing for the rest of the group. With a lit torch in hand, Kobb spun its story. It told them all about how it woke up from its frozen prison face-to-face with a Hylian knight, evident that it had been saved from its icy demise. All the other monsters gasped.  _ The Hylian showed mercy? It chose to help us? _ Hushed murmurs filled the air. Kobb then went on about how the Hylian taught it about names, identity, finding purpose in oneself, and how that helped free it from the Malice. The rest of the camp were on the edge of their seat, with Kobb’s embellishments adding to the story. Saving the best for last, Kobb wrapped up by providing the most crucial part of the tale.

“As the Hylian was about to leave, only then did I get the name of the merciful warrior…it was none other than Link: Blight of Calamity Ganon.” it said.

A chill ran down each and every monster’s spine. For the longest time the only sound that filled the night air was the soft crackle of the fire, and the muffled echo of wolves howling in the distance.

“To think,” said Fang, staring gently into the fire, “that someone we once considered our greatest enemy would help us without a second thought.”

“We truly owe Link and the Hylians our lives.” whispered Frost.

Boom waved its hand in a dismissive motion. “I would not go that far. I am certain we will encounter Hylians that are not nearly as merciful. But at the very least we now share a common goal: ending The Calamity once and for all.”

“I may not have allegiance to any Hylians,” said Sledge, “but I would follow that Link to the ends of Hyrule if they are truly the hero to stop Ganon.” It then locked eyes with Kobb, “And I would do the same for everyone else here.”

The rest of the camp mumbled in agreement.

Eventually the topic came up of where they were all going to go. They had made a nice temporary home where they were originally stationed, but it was clear the Gerudo Highlands might be a bit much if they were to have a permanent residence. Plus, the possibility of Calamity Ganon sensing their defiance and retaliating could not be overlooked. Still, the prospect of moving exhilarated them all. They now had the freedom to go wherever they pleased, and they were almost petrified by the sheer magnitude of choice. Amber proposed to become nomadic until they found a place worth settling down, but that came with the risk of running into other monster squads and Hylians. That was when Sledge spoke up and made its suggestion. Allegedly the northernmost part of Hyrule Ridge, Lindor’s Brow, was practically untouched by both The Calamity and the races of Hyrule. It was not too far from their current position as well - only a few days of travel north. At the very least it beat going south and braving the Gerudo Desert. The Bokoblins were all on-board with the idea. If it didn’t pan out, at least it would be a nice resting stop while devising another plan. 

As everyone started nodding off to sleep for their last night in the Highlands, Sledge took a good look around. Several Bokoblins were leaning against its warm body - already out like a light. The way everyone was already so comfortable around each other was a new experience, yet to Sledge it felt so familiar. With the absence of Malice, tolerance was replaced with trust, and tyranny was replaced with community. It didn’t know what to call this, but it would be content with staying in these Bokoblins’ company for the rest of its life. In fact, the very thought of that left it feeling warm and fuzzy inside. From that point on it looked like they were going to start a new life - that it would be able to have a place to call “home”, and it would have those it could call “family”...

...before it all crashed and burned.


End file.
